Floating safe



C. H. BALKO FLOATING SAFE Dec. 1, 1936.

Filed Dec. 10, 1935 71M 2 W I ma. W 7 m m l. A) H .5 H: 2H1 a GEBaZfio Patented Dec. 1, 1936 PATENT-OFFICE FLOATING SAFE Charles H. Balko, Boston, Pa., assignor' of onehalf to Mike Blaha, Versailles, Pa.-

Application December 10, 1935, Serial No. 53,814

1 Claim.

This invention relates to receptacles and more particularly to a receptacle designed for'use as a safe, which may be conveniently carried in airplanes or other moving vehicles.

An object of this invention is to provide .a receptacle which embodies means whereby the rec'eptacle may be sealed and locked and when in this condition may be placed in water upon which the receptacle will float.

Another object of this invention is to provide a safe or receptacle which is capable of floating on water and, at the same time, may act as a life preserver due to the unsinkable construction thereof. 7 v

A further object of this invention is to provide a floating safe of this character whichis not only capable of floating on water but which embodies means whereby the safe or receptacle will not readily burn so that the safe or receptacle may be carried in an airplane and articles sealed and locked therein against destruction by fire or loss through sinking in water.

A still further object of this invention is to provide in a device of this kind, means whereby a light may be attachedto the device so that the position thereof in water or on land may be readily determined at night.

Still another object of this invention is to provide in a device of this kind means to facilitate removal of the safe or receptacle from the water, or the like, the device being provided with opposed handles which, in the event the device is used as a life preserver, may be grasped by a person in the water or may be used for the purpose of attaching hooks or lines thereto in order to raise the device out of the water.

The above and various other objects and advantages of this invention will .in part be described in, and in part be understood from the following detail description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section'partly in detail of a floating safe constructed according team embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing wherein like symbols designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral l0 designates generally a receptacle which is closed at one end and provided with a neck I I at one end thereof. The body ill, in the present instance, is preferably constructed of fibre or some suitable material which may be either inherently fireproof or may (or. 9-10) v be made fireproof in any suitable manner and the body It! is provided at its bottom I3 with a buoyant body l2 inthe form of a relatively large section of cork or other relatively light material which is very buoyant and is capable of supporting the bag or body [0 in water.

' The body It! is provided at a point adjacent the neck II with opposed handles l4 of-suitable construction which are preferably so constructed'that they will normally be disposed in outstanding relation to the body l0. When the device is placed in water these handles l4 may serve as a means to which a rope or other line may be attached in order to raise the device out of the water or these handles may be grasped by a person in'the water so that the receptacle or safe Ill maybe used as a life preserver when in water.

The neck I I may be made of metal 'or'relatively rigid material and is provided with threads IS on the inside thereof so that a closure; generally designated as I6, may be threadably secured in the neck I l This closure 16 comprises a threaded inner portion or plug l1 and a cap or outer portion l8 having a diameter substantially larger than thediameter of the neck ll so that, if desired, a gasket-or like sealing means may be carried by the closure l6 and engage against the outer end of the neck II. The neck II, at a point below the top thereof, is provided with a pair of ears or spaced apart lugs l9 and a locking member 20 is pivotally secured between the ears l9. This locking member 2ll-includes a rod 2| having an enlargement or casing 22 at its free end which is adapted to engage an outstanding projection 23 carried by the cap [8. Preferably, the housing or casing 22 is adapted to enclose a combination look so that when the locking arm 2| is raised to a locking position, the cap IE will be held against rotation. If desired, the position of the, locking member 20 may be reversed, that is, the locking member 20 may be pivotally secured to the cap l6 and the casing 22 but disposed on the lower end of the arm 2| and engaged with a suitable projection secured to the neck II.

In order to provide a means whereby, in the event the safe hereinafter described is thrown into the water, the safe may be readily picked up at night, I have provided a casing 24 which is secured to the top of the cap l6 and is adapted casing 26 is electrically connected to the batteries 28 which are disposed in the casing 24 and when the entire device is thrown into the water, the

'switch 21 may be moved to closed position thereby energizing the light in the casing 26 and providing a means in the form of a signal by which the device may be readily found at night. If desired, the casing 24 may be of a readily detachable construction, being provided with clips at opposed points for engagement with the periphery of the cap portion i8. In this'manner, the casing 24 may be normally left off of the cap IE but if it is found necessary, as where the device is thrown into the water at night, the casing may be readily attached to the cap.

In the use of this device, the articles may be placed inside the body l0 and the cap l6 then threaded into the neck ll.- When the cap I 6 is in tight position, the enlargement 23 embodying a keeper for the lock carried by the casing 22 will be disposed in a position to receive the locking bolt carried by the housing 22. The arm 2| may then be swung to a substantially vertical position and the cap I 6 then locked against turning.

I claim:--

A floating safe comprising a hollow body, buoyant means within the body in the lower portion thereof, a neck carried 'by the body provided with interior threads, a threaded cap engaging the neck, an outstanding arm fixed to the neck, a link pivoted at one end to said arm, a locking member carried by the opposite end of said arm, an outstanding keeper carried by said cap for engagement with said locking member to hold the cap against turning, a battery casing carried by the cap provided with a socket, a signal casing engageable in said socket and a light bulb in said signal casing.

CHARLES H. BALKO. 

